Barring any last-minute change, the Senate is ready to pass the State Police Bill on Wednesday.
POLITICS NIGERIA reports that senators cut short their recess on Tuesday to consider the bill, which seeks to amend the 1999 Constitution and decentralise Nigeria’s policing system in response to worsening security challenges
Although the Red Chamber had already begun work on the state police bill, President Bola Tinubu transmitted an executive version to the Senate through a letter dated June 15. The proposed legislation seeks to establish a dual policing system in which federal and state police forces operate alongside each other.
Senate President Godswill Akpabio during Tuesday’s plenary described the proposal as a key step toward restructuring Nigeria’s security framework.
The bill was immediately referred to the Senate Ad Hoc Committee on Constitution Review, chaired by Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin, which is expected to present its report for consideration and voting.
Akpabio urged senators to be present for the exercise, stressing the need for broad support to secure its passage. He also sought to allay concerns that state governors could misuse state police, saying safeguards would be built into the legal framework to prevent abuse.
“Every senator should endeavor to come tomorrow to be part of this exercise.
“We are going to be live tomorrow and your constituents will be seeing what you are doing”, he added.
As a constitutional amendment, the bill requires the support of at least two-thirds of lawmakers in both chambers of the National Assembly. This means it must secure the votes of no fewer than 72 senators and 240 members of the House of Representatives.
If passed by the National Assembly, the bill will be transmitted to the 36 State Houses of Assembly, where it must receive approval from at least 24 states before returning for final adoption and presidential assent.
Debate on the bill was initially expected to begin earlier, but the Senate suspended plenary in honour of Yahaya Tongo, the House of Representatives member who represented Kwami/Funakaye/Gombe Federal Constituency and died on June 12.
